Food and Drink

The weather forecast shows that Saturday and Sunday are set to be warm and dry with plenty of sunshine so if you still haven’t visited the Christmas Market in Marno Pole Park, Veliko Tarnovo, the weekend seems as the right time to do it. The Market is open every day from 10 am till 8 pm and will continue up to December, 31st. This year the Greek Kontosouvli Chalet is in the spotlight – it attracts everyone with sizzling sounds and delicious aroma coming from the grill. Kontosouvli is actually a big kebab traditionally slow roasted on a spit turning over charcoal pit. The treat is priced at 6 leva per kg. The adjacent chalet is selling mulled wine and wormwood wine at 2 leva per 200 ml. At the Christmas market you will also find Kazanlak Donuts, kattami (stuffed flatbreads) and Turkish delight. A variety of souvenirs, everyday items and toys are also available. A mini fairground with Ferry Wheel and Santa Post Office will keep the little ones entertained.

The British Ambassador, Emma Hopkins, invites the British community for Christmas Carols and mince pies in Veliko Tarnovo on Monday 12 December.

The carol singing will take place at the Christmas Market at the entrance to Marno Pole Park between 11:30 and 12:00. The Ambassador then invites the British community to join her for mince pies at the Veliko Tarnovo municipality building from midday.

The Christmas Market in Veliko Tarnovo officially opens on 1st December; it will work from 10 am till 8 pm and will feature 25 chalets offering various goods. One of them will be called the Charity Chalet of Friends of Animals VT and will be raising funds for a noble cause – the wellbeing of stray and mistreated animals. The good-hearted people behind the organization are setting up their chalet at the Christmas Market for a second year in a row. There you can donate money for the stray animals of Veliko Tarnovo. The raised funds will cover the medical costs for neutering, treatment and medication of homeless animals. You can also donate blankets, bedding, toys and food for the dogs in the Municipality Animal Shelter. Alternatively you can buy cat/dog food or anything you deem necessary from any of the veterinary clinics or zoo shops in VT and just let the people from the chalet know so that they can go and collected it instead of you carrying it around.

For each donation you will receive a small gift of gratitude. The gifts include calendars with pictures of the dogs from the shelter, fridge magnets with cats, souvenirs and Christmas baubles. The Charity Chalet is the first on the left-hand side if you are coming from the direction of the ferry wheel.

The campaign last year was very successful thanks to all the compassionate and generous people who made a donation – 35 stray cats were neutered, 108 vaccines were bought for the needs of the Municipality Pound and the medical costs for the treatment of more than 40 stray animals were covered.

This noble cause wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for Friends of Animals VT kind-hearted friends at Yantra Homes Real Estate Agency who became the exclusive sponsor of the Charity Chalet and its activity.

Kaufland Hypermarket Chain bought the unfinished surgical unit of the Veliko Tarnovo Hospital at an auction for 5.8 million leva. This solves one of the biggest problems of the town as to how to utilize the building and how to deal with the swamp which formed around it because of the faulty plumbing system. The unsightly edifice will be demolished and the wetlands dried out by the company. The plot has excellent location and spans over 18,900 sqm. It is bordering two of the streets with heaviest traffic in Veliko Tarnovo – Krakov and Nikola Gabrovski; the main road Sofia – Varna also passes nearby.

The Veliko Tarnovo branch will open in 2018, according to Dimitar Spasov, CEO of Kaufland Bulgaria. The store will cover about 3,000 sqm and it is expected that around 150 employees will work there.

The 5.8 million leva will be used to fund the construction of a new hospital wing at the site of the so-called New Hospital (which is right next to the now sold plot). The 2 buildings will be connected by a walkway. The new edifice will acommodate the units currently ‘housed’ at the Old Hospital which is located in Varusha Neighbourhood (Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Neonatal Care, Skin & STDs and Psychiatric Departments).

More than 1000 lights, decorations and ornaments have already been mounted along the streets of the Old capital it was announced by the local authorities. The preparation for the traditional Christmas Market is also under way – 25 chalets will be set up in Marno Pole Park selling all kinds of treats. The Christmas Lights turning on ceremony will be on Friday, 25th November; as usual it will be accompanied by a firework display. Once we know more details about the variety of activities and their starting dates and times we’ll let you know!